Collision Reporting, Investigation, and Analysis

Transcription

1 In this procedure, a collision is defined as any occurrence involving a motor vehicle driven by an employee on company business which results in death, injury, or property damage, unless the vehicle is properly parked. The following details are not factors in determining if an occurrence should be considered a collision: * who was injured * what property was damaged and to what extent * where the incident occurred * who was responsible Recordable Collision A collision is recordable whenever an employee operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on a public road is involved in a collision resulting in one or more of the following situations: * a fatality * bodily injury to a person who, as a result of the injury, immediately receives medical attention away from the scene of the collision * one or more motor vehicles incurring disabling damage that requires the vehicles(s) to be transported away from the scene of the collision by a tow truck or other vehicle Post-Collision Drug & Alcohol Testing Post-collision drug and alcohol testing are required for any employee involved in a recordable collision if one or both of these conditions exist: * The collision resulted in a fatality (even though no citation was issued). * The employee received a citation for a moving traffic violation arising from the collision and one of these conditions resulted: bodily injury to a person who, as a result of the injury, received immediate medical treatment away from the scene of the collision; or disabling damage to one or more motor vehicles required the vehicle(s) to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other vehicle. Page 1 of 5

2 Employee Availability for Testing Employees involved in recordable collisions must be readily available for drug and alcohol testing until: * all tests are completed; or * 32 hours have passed since the collision. These employees must provide management with a phone number where they can be readily contacted. Failure to remain available will be considered the same as a positive test result and is grounds for immediate termination. Important: Employees who are injured and cannot be tested immediately must authorize the release of hospital reports and other documents that could indicate whether controlled substances and/or alcohol were in their systems at the time of the collision. In no case should medical treatment be delayed to collect a drug or alcohol test specimen. Time Limits on Testing The alcohol test should be administered within two hours of the collision. This test may not be administered if more than eight hours have passed since the collision. The drug test must be administered as soon as possible, but not later than 32 hours after the collision. If a driver is not tested for alcohol or drugs by the deadlines listed above, take the steps in the following table: Action 1 Complete letter of explanation and file in personnel file. 2 Complete a Drug and Alcohol Policy Post Accident Documentation Form and fax it to the program administrator. NOTIFICATIONS Location supervisors must report all collisions immediately upon notification. Telephone the appropriate person/department using the guidelines in the following chart. If the collision... immediately telephone... occurs during business hours, occurs at night or on a weekend, * company manager * insurance carrier * company manager * insurance carrier after hours number Page 2 of 5

3 Reporting Procedures Immediate Actions When notified of a collision, company management must take the immediate actions and follow-up actions described in the following section. Company management must take these immediate action steps: Immediate Actions 1 Ensure that the driver has: * received appropriate medical care (if needed); * secured the collision scene, set warning devices, etc.; and * contacted local police, ambulance, etc. 2 Prepare a preliminary collision report based on information from the driver, police, passerby, another driver, etc. 3 Dispatch a substitute vehicle, if necessary. 4 Report collision to the insurance carrier, taking special care to note if the following are involved: * a fatality, * an injured party who was transported from the scene in an ambulance, or * a public transportation vehicle. 5 Inform the customer(s) of the load status. Follow-Up Actions Location management must then take these follow-up action steps: Follow-Up Actions 1 Interview the driver. 2 Prepare the Collision Report. 3 Log the collision into the Accident Register. 4 Set up a location file to include all forms, repair invoices, and correspondence documentation relating to the collision. Page 3 of 5

4 Additional Actions If the collision is recordable, complete the following actions in addition to the steps listed under Immediate Actions and Follow-Up Actions. Recordable Collision - Additional Actions 1 Determine if the driver is required to submit to post-collision drug and alcohol testing. If yes, call the program administrator for guidance. 2 Send a copy of the following reports to the appropriate Safety or Human Resource department: * police report * Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control form * Drug and Alcohol Policy Post Accident Documentation, if drug and/or alcohol testing deadlines are not met 3 Send the employer copy of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Breath Alcohol Testing Form to the appropriate Safety or Human Resource department Investigations When a collision is reported, location management is required to visit the collision site to gather as much information as possible. During the investigation you should: * photograph the collision scene, vehicles involved, and surrounding area; * sketch the scene; * interview the driver, when possible; * determine if the driver is physically and mentally capable of operating the vehicle safely (if driver is uninjured); * gather all pertinent information; and * determine if the vehicle(s) is suitable for operation. Page 4 of 5

5 I have read, understand and agree to abide by the above policy. Employee Signature: Employee Name: Date: Manager Signature: Manager Name: Date: Page 5 of 5